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Can Congress stop Presidents from starting a major war?

Best Answers

As has been stated earlier the War Powers Act of 1973 puts limits on the POTUS for prolonged military conflict. This was a direct response to our involvement in Viet Nam. read more

Congress is the only body with the legal authority to declare war. But “starting a war” is an ambiguous phrase, and the president can certainly take actions that would result in a war even though war has not been officially declared. read more

There are some major downsides to putting in restrictions on the president's use of nuclear weapons, including that doing so could make it easier for a country to attack the United States. Let's start with the basics. The president cannot declare war without Congress's approval, and to many, the use of a nuclear weapon is an act of war. read more

While the President does have the power to launch nuclear weapons, the U.S. Constitution states that only Congress can declare war. Congress has not issued a declaration of war since World War II, but that hasn’t stopped presidents from taking military action. There is no way to stop Trump from using nuclear weapons at the moment. read more

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